Blog Posts From The Brave Programmer

GatorPeeps &ndash; SA Twitter &ndash; What I like about it

Apr27

Written by:2009/04/27 08:36 AM

This weekend Afrigator launched GatorPeeps in Lagos Nigeria. GatorPeeps is based on the Twitter model. A Micro blogging service similar to the likes of Twitter, Pownce and Plurk. But you might say, so what's the big deal? there is Twitter already, how is this going to take off. Well read on, I will tell you what I like about it,then try it for yourself and let me know.

Why create another micro blogging platform like Twitter, where one, Pownce has already tried and failed. Surely GatorPeeps is backing a lame horse here. I mean, there are thousands and millions of people on Twitter. Why would they want to move their account on to the new kid on the block. They are already established with hundreds or thousands of followers.

Well there are a few things about GatorPeeps that I like and that is different from the likes of Twitter. First, it is Local, African. This makes it unique. There have been other local ventures that have been successful, but not dominating. Think of the search engines, when the market is dominated by Google and Yahoo, South Africa has Ananzi and Aardvark? Both are successful in their own right as local search engines and directories.

The thing about South Africans, we like to show the world that we can do things better. Just look at our elections and transformation to a democracy. This is a prime example of how SA can do what others have failed to do.

The second thing is that GatorPeeps is backed, packaged and developed by Afrigator. Afrigator is a blog aggregator. Afrigator is all about blogging. Therefore don’t be surprised when your Peeps are tied into your Afrigator account. Once you're logged in to Afrigator, you're logged in to GatorPeeps. Also, your latest blog post is automatically inserted as a signature after your peep. This has usage Traffic potential, and SEO potential for your blog. Something that Twitter does not have.

The third thing I like about GatorPeeps is that they have a thing called communities. When you blog about a certain subject and prefix that subject with a hash you are either joined automatically to that community, if it exists, or it is created and you become the owner of that community. So for example if I peep something like: #Integralwebsolutions are the best web development and #SEO guys. I will be the owner of the newly created Integralwebsolutions community and will become a member of the SEO group. Very cool.

The next nice thing is that GatorPeeps allows you to embed video into your peeps. This might be beyond the idea of micro blogging where you are only allowed to use 140 characters. Whether this will be abused or not, it remains to be seen. But I think it is a very cool idea. Videos from YouTube and Zoopy can be embedded into your peeps.

Then there is the layout. It is very neat and crisp. Perhaps one thing lacking, which might still be included as the guys improve on development, is the ability to skin or change your background. Things like having your replies visible in the right sidebar, is a nice thing for me. I like to see who has replied to me without having to search for it or go to another tab. As well as RSS feeds right at your finger tips.

Then we have the reply, private message, and quote with every peep. Twitter has a reply but not the quote option. The quote option does just that, creates a new peep, puts in the other persons peep as a quote, then allows you to add to that quote.

You can also follow new people right from the main screen, a follow button is included in every persons peep if you are not following them.

There are a few more things about GatorPeeps that I like, but then this post will be too long. All in all its a great effort and a great venture. Will it succeed? Who knows, that is up to the users, whether we as local African bloggers take to it or not. My advise is Go for it!

I must say I was never really into the whole twitting thing until recenlt when I discovered Gatorpeeps, its quite cool and gives one an opportunity to interact with fellow African Bloggers, It's a very good development...

I also never did the twitter thingie until two days ago. Having great fun with it. Local peeping is better! It is certainly a breath of fresh air and will be going a long way to establish Afrigator as the leading agrigator in SA and Africa. Who knows, it might even gain some international appeal.

It is already causing to incorporate techonology into my View of Reality :lol:

@calvin,Well I am glad it made sense and was helpful. That's what were are all about. Bloggers seem to be a different breed don't they.

@Emil,Thanks for the Comment. Yep Local peeping is better. I have already had more interaction today with GatorPeeps, than with twitter. I must admit tho, it is a bit difficult to keep up with both twitter and Gator. It is a breath of fresh air.BTW, I think that with all that is happening with Amatomu, Afrigator will probably win the popularity awards hands down

Emil,Yes that will be awesome. Stii and Justin have said that they will be looking at getting ping.fm integration. This will mean that you can use ping.fm to send updates via email and sms. But don't know what the sms Cost will be like. But perhaps you could use ping.fm as a data connection from your cell to send update. That will work.I wonder, maybe I should write a tool that will work like twitrerberry. mm Not much spare time tho.